Aqui Happens – Sports Science at Ufal has become a reference in the country with social projects

Oval Sports Complex has many dreams. There is space to encourage, overcome, discover talents and uncover the many opportunities that the university can offer. Many dreams have already become a reality and have already become a reference, such as the Academia e Futebol project, which promotes women’s football for children and adolescents aged 6-17.

“The project is aimed exclusively at a female audience, and allows the dreams, desires and desires of girls and young people to take shape. Director of the Institute of Physical Education and Sports, Leonia Santiago, described that attending the university space from an early age inculcates values ​​and creates habits and experiences that will be present throughout life.

These seeds are sown through outreach activities and teams such as the Laboratory of Applied Sciences on Sport (Lacae), coordinated by Professor Gustavo Gomez. Lacay researchers, under the guidance of Professors Pedro Balikian, Felipe Souza and Tais Atide Silva, have been using the methods since 2011, and today, groundbreaking research focuses on women’s sports science.

Example for Brazil

On a recent visit to Brasilia, teachers and Dean Guzeldo Tonholu presented the partial results of the Academia e Futebol project at the Ministry of Citizenship. Highly praised and with reference to supporting continuity, the project will be the subject of the agenda at a virtual event organized by the Ministry, through the Integra Brasil programme.

The invitation is to open the Women’s Football webinar on March 22nd, showing how the project has changed women’s lives and encouraged them to take up sport. To date, 85 children and adolescents have been assisted and the project has been able to discover sports talents to participate in high-performance sports. Academia e Futebol has been highlighted in the 2021 Alagoan Women’s Soccer Championship, from the organization to the inclusion of young athletes. CRB-Ufal was dedicated champion of the season.

Oval opened the doors to training, selection and targeting of new talent. Little by little, Complexo na Oval turns on girls in a socially vulnerable state who cling to the proposals of sport as life-altering.

Technical support knowing

To obtain results in practice, Lacae applies methods for assessing and describing sports training for athletes in training, especially women, through interdisciplinary methods including artificial intelligence, image analysis, metabolism and physical assessment.

In accordance with the objectives of the laboratory, researchers are investigating the physiological, metabolic, molecular, and physical performance effects of chronic or acute physical stress interventions with or without nutritional intervention.

“Currently, Lacae combines research and extension with a significant focus, resulting in the service of vulnerable populations, women and the university’s inner community through educational sports and interrelated scientific methodologies with the goal of integrated qualified citizen and scientific-academic development. Community service and research development [também] It is made possible by the breadth and quality of the sports complex with fully certified exercise and laboratory equipment,” the researchers report.

In addition to the physical structure, scholarship holders and project volunteers participate in research groups and activities add not only Iefe but also other Ufal Institutes, such as Chemistry and Biotechnology (IQB), Biological and Health Sciences (ICBS), Mathematics (IM), Computing (IC) and Faculty Nutrition (Fanut).

Iefe is also involved in the global project called Metabolomica, Performance Esportivo e Futebol Feminino, and has secured CNPq funding for an investment of R$142,000. The funds raised in all projects are investments in science and social actions.

Sports and service

The Institute of Physical Education and Sport is responsible for the largest area of ​​the university. There are 47 thousand square meters uniting the pillars of teaching, research and extension. Teaching and training efforts also go through the discovery process.

“Different projects and programs are formulated and coexisted to ensure the vocational training of students. When opening the doors of the Iefe to guide / describe the physical and sports activities of the community, inquiries and questions are created, hypotheses are put forward, in order to understand the movement of physical and sports activities as a social phenomenon”, highlighted Leonéa Santiago..

Guidance and research in the areas of the complex contains a set of comprehensive procedures that are expected by the science laboratory applied to sports. “Lacai has become a national reference, due to the results and resources collected by Fabrica Coletiva de Talentos, Esports Sim Fronteras, Segundo Tempo, Academy and Football projects,” concluded Professor Gustavo, noting that opportunities abound and dedication makes Iefe grow to great heights.

for every Manuela Soares / Oval